Electric can opener



April 1952 R. NE SSLER ELECTRIC CAN OPENER 2 SHEETS-Sl-IEET 1 Filed NOV.6, 1950 INVENTOR Re'z'nbarai JVssZer av' M ATTORNEYS- April 29, 1952 R.NESSLER; 2,595,162

ELECTRIC CAN OPENER Filed Nov. 6,. 1.950

5.5 I 4i ,1 I4 13 I I 1s 6 r a 1 1 I2 I 3 I 15 I I VVIIIIIIIIIIIIIII'II'I g Reinbardz Msssler ATTORNEYS INVENTOR PatentedApr. 29, 1952 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ELECTRIC CAN OPENER ReinhardtNessler, Stockton, Calif. Application November 6, 1950, Serial No.194,296

2 Claims.

This invention relates in general to a can opener.

In particular the invention is directed to, and

it is a major object to provide, a novel, electric motor driven canopener.

Another important object of the invention is to provide an electricmotor driven can opener which includes a novel cutter wheel mount; suchmount including a vertically slidable mounting plate arranged in aneffective manner for ready and convenient manual adjustment.

An additional object of the invention is to provide an electric canopener, as above, wherein there is a novel assembly of the can cutter,and can hold-down plunger units, carried by the mounting plate.

A further object of the invention is to provide an electric can openerwhich includes a novel device for automatically starting the electricmotor upon lowering of the mounting plate and engagement of the cutter,and hold-down plunger units, with the can.

A still further object of the invention is to provide an effectiveangle-positioned, bevel-faced cutter operative to positively and cleanlycut, and simultaneously smooth fold, the metal of the can end about therim of said can.

It is also an object of the invention to provide an electric can openerwhich is designed for ease and economy of manufacture.

Another object of the invention is to provide a practical and reliableelectric can opener, and yet one which will be exceedingly effective forthe purpose for which it is designed.

These objects are accomplished by means of such structure and relativearrangement of parts as will fully appear by a perusal of the followingspecification and claims.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the novel electric motor driven canopener, with the parts in operative position.

Fig. 2 is a sectional elevation on line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a similar view, but fragmentary and ith the mounting plate andworking parts thereon in raised or starting position.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary front sectional elevation on line 4-4 of Fig. 2,showing the position of the lever arm and mounting plate, with attachedparts, when the can opener is in use.

Fig. 5 is a similar view, but shows such lever arm and mounting plate inits raised or starting position.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary front elevation of the mounting plate andshifting block which cooperates therewith.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary plan view on line 1-1 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional elevation of one of the hold-downplunger units.

Referring now more particularly to the characters of reference on thedrawings, the novel electric motor driven can opener comprises a base Ifitted with a pedestal 2; there being an electric motor 3 secured to thepedestal 2, with the motor shaft 4 extending transversely. The motorshaft 4 drives a reduction gear box 5 fixed in connection with one endof the motor 3, and such reduction gear box includes a horizontal,forwardly projecting output shaft 6; said box being stabilized by a post1 which upstands from the base I.

A can supporting cradle 8 projects horizontally forward from the post 7,being secured in connection with the latter, for vertical adjustment, bya hub 9 normally locked in place by a wing bolt [0.

The gear box 5 is fitted, at the front, with a fiat, forwardly facing,upstanding backing plate II which extends some distance above such box.

The output shaft 6 projects through a bearing l2 in the backing plate I!and terminates a short distance ahead thereof, with the terminal portionthreaded and having a double-ended can feed wheel [3 threaded thereon.The can feed wheel l3 has each working end thereof peripherallyserrated, as shown, for driving engagement beneath the bead [4 at thetop of a can l5 seated in the cradle 8 and abutting a can stop Itprojecting forwardly from the lower end of said backing plate I l.

The can feed wheel i3 is double-ended so that it may be reversed in usewhen necessary.

Above the can feed wheel I 3 the device includes a vertically slidablemounting plate I?! secured and guided as follows:

Intermediate its ends the mounting plate II is formed with a verticallyelongated slot [8, and a headed guide screw it extends through such slotinto the backing plate H, with a compression spring 25 between the headof screw [9 and plate I].

At its upper end the mounting plate I l is fitted -With a horizontal,rearwardly projecting pin 2| which extends through a verticallyelongated slot 22.

- lever arm is formed at its inner end with a fiat rotary disc 24 whichlies flush against the outside of the mounting plate H, bein maintainedin frictional engagement therewith in the following manner:

A horizontal spindle 25 is fixed to the backing plate H and projectsthrough the upper portion of an inverted T-slot 26 in the mounting plateH, and a cap 21 encircles such spindle and is held thereon by a nut 28.

A compression spring 29 surrounds the spindle 25 in the cap 2?, bearingagainst a washer 30, which in turn has frictional, face to face contactwith the mounting plate ll. As so secured, the mounting plate H may beadjusted up and down, but will remain in either position.

A pin 31 on the rotary disc 24, in radially offset relation to thespindle 25, is fitted with a shifting block or head 32 which rides inthe horizontal or lower portion of the inverted T-slot 26.Consequentlmuponswinging of the lever arm 23 from an upstandingposition, as in Fig. 5, to a lowered or horizontal position, as in Fig.4, the mounting plate I! is vertically slid from its raised to itslowered position.

At the lower end thereof the mounting plate I! is formed with a cutterand hold-down assembly, indicated generally at 33; this cutter assemblyembodying the following:

Substantially centrally between the sides, the mounting plate i7 isformed with an upturned bracket finger 34, and a bevelcfaced rotarycutter 35, including a hub 36 is securedto and projects forwardly fromthe bracket finger 34 by means of a screw 31. The bracket finger 34 isangled so that the rotary cutter 35 is disposed with its axis at aforward and downward incline and slightly laterally or horizontallycanted contra to the direction of rotation of. the can under theinfluence of the can feed wheel 53.

On opposite sides of the rotary cutter 35, the

. mounting plate IT is fitted with a hold-down plunger unit 33, each ofwhich includes a perpendicular, cylindrical body 39 fixed to anoutturned bracket ii] integral with the. lower end of said mountingbracket ll. A plunger 4| works upwardly in each cylindrical body 39against the resistance of a compression spring 42 in said body; theplunger being held against escape by a screw 43 which runs in a slot 44in the adjacent side of the plunger.

When the device is in use with a can l5 seated on the cradle 8, thelever arm 23 is first swung to its down position, which causes therotary cutter 35 to initially cut through the top of the can immediatelyinside the rim hi. At the same time the hold-down plungerunits 38 areplaced under pressure, effectively maintaining the can seated on thesupporting cradle 8 during the cuttin operation.

Thereafter, with the can feed wheel l3 engaged beneath the rim l4, driveof such wheel rotates the can, and the rotary cutter 35 severs the topout of said can.

By reason of the particular angled or diagonaled relationship of thecutter 35, it not only effectively cuts the top out of the .can, butfolds down the raw edge which would otherwise remain on the inner faceof the rim l4.

When the lever arm 23 is swung downwardly, as above, and for the purposeof operation of the device, the electric motor 3 is automaticallybrought into operation. This is by virtue of a control lead 45 whichextends from the motor 3 to an on-off switch 46 secured to the'rear.side of the backing plate I I'; such switch including an upwardlyextending but depressible element ,41

"which closes the "switch. A vertically adjustable screw 48 is threadedthrough the rear end of the pin 2| and is set to engage and depress theelement 4'! when the lever arm 23 is swung down, whereby to close saidswitch and cause operation of the electric motor 3.

The above described can opener functions in a positive and effectivemanner, and is arranged for practical and convenient use.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that there hasbeen produced such a device as substantially fulfills the objects of theinvention, as set forth herein.

a While this specification sets forth in detail the present andpreferred construction of the device,

still in practice such deviations from such detail may be resorted to asdo not form a departure from the spirit of the invention, as defined bythe appended claims.

Having thus described the invention, the following is claimed as new anduseful, and upon which Letters Patent are desired:

1. In a power driven can opener, a flat upstanding backing platefixedlymounted, a fiat upstanding mounting plate flush against the backingplate, means securing the mounting plate to the backing plate forguided-vertical sliding motion, manually actuated means to so slide themounting plate between raised and lowered positions, a driven shaftprojecting forwardly and horizontally below-the mounting plate,- a can 5feed Wheel on the forward end ofthe shaft, a rotary, can top cuttersecured to the lowerend of the mounting plate in cooperative relation tobut above the can feed wheel, and a pair of separate can hold-downspring-urged plunger units secured to the lower end of-the mountingplate with the rotary cutter disposed-therebetween.

2. In a can opener, a flat upstanding backing plate fixedly mounted, aflat upstanding mounting plate flush against "and-terminating above thelower end of the backing plate, means securing the mounting plate to thebacking plate for guided vertical, movement, a can feed wheel mounted onthe backing plate below the mounting plate, a can-top cutter mounted onthe lower end of the mounting plate in cooperative relation to and abovethe can feed wheeLand means to move the mounting plate up and down andcomprising a spindle projecting forward from the backing plate, themounting plate having an inverted T slot therethrough, thespindleprojecting through the upper portion of the slot, a rotary member on thespindle in front of the mounting plate, a lever arm radiating from themember, a pin on the member projecting into'the bottom portion of theinverted T slot, and a shifting block on the pin and engaged in saidbottom portion of the slotfor motion therealong.

REINHARDTNESSLER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record :in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS

